Manchester City's Micah Richards drops transfer hint as he battles for playing time

Blues hope defender will sign a new deal before current one expires in the summer and he doesn't WANT to leave, but...

Sub standard: Richards loves it at City but isn't starting many matches

Micah Richards has admitted he might have to accept the heartbreak of leaving Manchester City to save his career.

Richards will spend the next six months deciding whether to accept the Blues' offer of a new contract.

But
his answer will depend on much more than money – and the former England
defender accepts his future will hinge on whether he is able to force his way into Manuel Pellegrini’s team on a more regular basis.

Richards, 25, had last season wrecked by injuries – and saw Pablo Zabaleta become City’s player of the year.

He
said: “My contract is up at the end of next season and, although I’ve already spoken to City and know that they are happy to extend my deal, I’ve told them I want to see how many games I play this season.

“I don’t ever want to leave Manchester City, with the way it’s going. But it’s one of those where I will have to look at my career and say, ‘Are you playing enough?’

“Come the end of the season, I’ll do that and, hopefully, I’ll have played enough. But it’s a decision I’ll make from January through to the summer when I see where I’m at.

“I’ve been at City for 11 years, and I don’t see myself anywhere else. But you always have in your mind that playing comes first and that’s what I’ll look at.

“It’s
nice that the chairman has said City want me to stay, but, if you ask any footballer, the one thing they want most is to play football.

“I could sign a contract tomorrow and it would make me very rich, but it’s not about money – it’s about football.”

He has not played for England since winning the last of his 13 caps against France three years ago.

But he said: “England isn’t something I think about, I am just concentrating on City.

“Before
I got my injury, I was playing more than not, but Zaba has come in and done fantastically well so I take my hat off to him.”

Richards
added: “It’s a tough one. I love Manchester City and, even if I was to leave, which I still don’t see happening, I’d love to come back here in the future and work for the club in some capacity.”